Gotham Awards: 'Inside Llewyn Davis' for the win

Aside from their access to some really great films, we do not envy the judges of the 2013 Gotham Independent Film Awards.

The filmmakers who sat on the juries - and the moviegoers who voted on the audience award - have had to make some incredibly hard decisions.

The 23rd awards ceremony, which was held on Monday night at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City, boasted a number of high-profile nominees, including one of the best films of the year, "12 Years A Slave."

That project, directed by Steve McQueen, was up against buzzy titles "Ain't Them Bodies Saints"; "Before Midnight"; "Upstream Color" and "Inside Llewyn Davis" for the best feature honor.

But in the end, it was Joel and Ethan Coen's "Davis," about an aspiring folk singer in '60s Greenwich New York, that took the prize.

The competition only grew fiercer in the individual acting categories. Chiwetel Ejiofor, whose performance in "12 Years A Slave" has been lauded by critics, was nominated for best actor along with "Inside Llewyn Davis'" Oscar Isaac; "All Is Lost's" Robert Redford; "Blue Caprice's" Isaiah Washington; and "Dallas Buyers Club's" Matthew McConaughey.

McConaughey, who became memorably gaunt for that role, took home the win.

The night didn't improve for "12 Years," which ended up shut out of all four categories it was nominated in: Lupita Nyong'o lost the breakthrough actor award to "Fruitvale Station's" Michael B. Jordan, and the Gotham Independent Film Audience Award went to the documentary "Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings."

To trade publication Variety, these awards were simply a sign that while this year's event had some heavy-hitting nominees, the ceremony itself "stayed true to its roots by honoring a batch of quirkier winners."

Check out the full list of nominees and winners below:

Best Feature
"12 Years a Slave"
"Ain’t Them Bodies Saints"
"Before Midnight"
"Inside Llewyn Davis" – WINNER
"Upstream Color"

Best Documentary
"The Act of Killing" - WINNER
"The Crash Reel"
"First Cousin Once Removed"
"Let the Fire Burn"
"Our Nixon"

Best Actor
Chiwetel Ejiofor, in "12 Years a Slave"
Oscar Isaac, in "Inside Llewyn Davis"
Matthew McConaughey, in "Dallas Buyers Club" - WINNER
Robert Redford, in "All Is Lost"
Isaiah Washington, in "Blue Caprice"

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, in "Blue Jasmine"
Scarlett Johansson, in "Don Jon"
Brie Larson, in "Short Term 12" - WINNER
Amy Seimetz, in "Upstream Color"
Shailene Woodley, in "The Spectacular Now"

Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director

Ryan Coogler, for "Fruitvale Station" - WINNER
Adam Leon, for "Gimme the Loot"
Alexandre Moors, for "Blue Caprice"
Stacie Passon, for "Concussion"
Amy Seimetz, for "Sun Don’t Shine"

Breakthrough Actor

Dane DeHaan, in "Kill Your Darlings"
Kathryn Hahn, in "Afternoon Delight"
Michael B. Jordan, in "Fruitvale Station" - WINNER
Lupita Nyong’o, in "12 Years a Slave"
Robin Weigert, in "Concussion"

Gotham Independent Film Audience Award

"12 Years A Slave"
"Best Kept Secret"
"Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey"
"Fruitvale Station"
"Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings" - WINNER

http://gotham.ifp.org/index.html